Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston issued the following statement in response to the Boston Marathon bombings:

The Archdiocese of Boston joins all people of good will in expressing deep sorrow following the senseless acts of violence perpetrated at the Boston Marathon today. Our prayers and concern are with so many who experienced the trauma of these acts, most especially the loved ones of those who lives were lost and those who were injured, and the injured themselves.

The citizens of the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are blessed by the bravery and heroism of many, particularly the men and women of the police and fire departments and emergency services who responded within moments of these tragic events. Governor Patrick, Mayor Menino and Police Commissioner Davis are providing the leadership that will see us through this most difficult time and ensure that proper procedures are followed to protect the public safety.

In the midst of the darkness of this tragedy we turn to the light of Jesus Christ, the light that was evident in the lives of people who immediately turned to help those in need today. We stand in solidarity with our ecumenical and interfaith colleagues in the commitment to witness the greater power of good in our society and to work together for healing.

“The tragic end to the Boston Marathon April 15 reminds us all that evil exists and that life is fragile,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said in a separate statement. The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops added that

the deaths and injuries of people gathered for the celebration on Patriots Day in Boston call on all of us to pray for the souls of those killed the healing of those injured and the restoration of peace for all of us unsettled by the bombings at a world renowned sporting event. Our special prayers are with the Archdiocese of Boston and the people there who are working in the aftermath of this crisis to address those wounded in so many ways by these events.

The growing culture of violence in our world and even in our country calls for both wise security measures by government officials and an examination by all of us to see what we can personally do to enhance peace and respect for one another in our world.

Pope Francis sent a telegram to Cardinal O’Malley expressing his sympathy and promising his prayers. The Pope’s message “invokes God’s peace upon the dead, his consolation upon the suffering, and his strength upon all those engaged in the continuing work of relief and response.”

“At the same time,” the message continued, “the Holy Father prays that all Bostonians will be united in a resolve not to be overcome by evil, but to combat evil with good (cf. Rom 12:21), working together to build an ever more just, free and secure society for generations yet to come.”

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

It is written in the Book of Job that God is continually "sending messages" to us through seemingly arbitrary events, but that we, often enough, in our ignorance and preoccupation, often miss them. Like someone who chronically refuses to check and open their mail, the penalty for missing a seriouus message can be extreme. This event, I believe, was a message for the Catholics of Boston. I hope that they take the time to "read it..."

Posted by: JIZ -
Apr. 17, 2013 3:49 AM ET USA

"His Holiness invokes God’s peace upon the dead, His consolation upon the suffering, and His strength upon all those engaged in the continuing work of relief and response." -- Card. Bertone
"In the midst of the darkness of this tragedy we turn to the light of Jesus Christ, the light that was evident in the lives of people who immediately turned to help those in need today." -- Card. O'Malley
May God have mercy on the dead and console the sorrowing.

Posted by: sparch -
Apr. 16, 2013 10:39 AM ET USA

Funny. I didnt read where the good bishops referenced God, Christ or even the Catholic Church in helping the victims and survivors in this tragedy. Maybe the breakdown of the moral fiber of our country is the problem and incidents like this underscore the need for our people to return to God. Our bishops should bring light to the problem and encourge their flock to return to the Church. Maybe the bishops have become part of the problem too.

Stay in Touch!

Subscribe to Insights

Stay on top of the latest Catholic news and analysis from CatholicCulture.org.